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Portable urinals are devices, usually hand-held, that are used to collect urine during urination. For example, a portable urinal is necessary for a patient confined to bed or for the collection of a urine specimen for laboratory analysis. A portable urinal used by a patient in bed is susceptible to spillage after use. Such spillage is not desirable because it can create a health risk and must be cleaned up. Also, the patient may feel embarrassed and uncomfortable if the spill is in the patient""s bed.
Most portable urinals are made in an economical manner by blow molding and have lids that are often inadequate to prevent leaks and spills. Because partially full urinals are often hung on bed rails after use, they must be rotated to fit over the bed rail. During such rotation, the potential for liquid to leak or spill is great if the lid is not properly seated or is defective. Furthermore, urinals are often used a second time without first being emptied. When the lid is removed and a partially filled urinal is placed for a second use, the potential exists for the contents to splash or spill out.
Some urinals have been designed with manual sealing devices or anti backflow features to overcome these problems. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,797,147, 5,953,763, and 6,021,529.
The present invention relates to a portable urinal that is simple to use and minimizes the risk of spillage during storage and subsequent uses. The urinal includes a container having an opening therein. A baffle is formed within an interior region in the container and defines a front collection chamber and a back collection chamber. The baffle extends from side to side across the interior region and upwardly from the bottom wall of the container at an acute angle toward the end wall of the container. Also, the baffle has an upper edge that terminates a distance spaced from the top wall of the container to define a gap between the top wall and the upper edge of the baffle.
In use in bed, the urinal is placed in a substantially horizontal position. Liquid collects in the front collection chamber, retained therein by the baffle. If the liquid exceeds the capacity of the front chamber, it flows over the top edge of the baffle into the back chamber, not out the opening. After use, the container is tipped toward an upright position, and the liquid flows over the top edge of the baffle into the back collection chamber for storage. Once in the back collection chamber, the liquid cannot readily flow into the front collection chamber, even with substantial tippage of the urinal. If the urinal is used a further time, the baffle retains the contents in the back collection chamber while the urinal is placed in the substantially horizontal position.
The container may be closed with a lid and may include a handle to hang on a bed rail. Spillage does not occur if the urinal must be rotated to fit over the bed rail. The urinal may also be stood on its end on a horizontal surface. The urinal is emptied by removing the lid and turning the container over with the handle down to allow the contents in the back chamber to flow past the baffle and out of the opening.